The West Pikeland Land Trust has been successfully protecting quality open spaces in the township since 1999. Below is a summary list of properties protected from development along with the specific features of each that warranted permanent protection for generations to come.
We are frequently updating this list with newly protected properties.
1548 Horseshoe Trail (near Rt. 113) – 2014
- 11.5 acres protected.
- Provides public trail easement along Horseshoe Trail to facilitate off-road hiking.
- Protects scenic views along Horseshoe Trail, which extends 140 miles between Valley Forge National Park to the Appalachian Trail near Harrisburg PA.
- Protects water quality within the Pickering Creek watershed.
- Partners Involved: Raymond and Marianne McOrmond, the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust.
803 Walnut Lane at Conestoga Road/Route 401 near Anselma Mill – 2013
This 67 acre parcel was purchased by West Pikeland Township to provide additional open space for active recreation. The property, located next to the historic Anselma Mill, establishes open space as the central feature for future development in the new Village Commercial District along Rt. 401. Over $1M in grants has been secured to date to support the purchase and the township plans to apply for additional grants from the state and other sources for planning and future development.
1541 Street Road (near Pikeland Road) – 2013
- 23 acres protected.
- Provides public trail with possible connection to Binky Lee Preserve on Pikeland Road.
- Protects scenic views along Pikeland Road and along the portion of Street Road designated as a priority Scenic Roadway in the township’s Open Space and Recreation Plan.
- Partners Involved: The Woodland family, the Natural Lands Trust, the Chester County Northern Federation.
1540 Conestoga Road (near intersection with Rt. 113) – 2013
- 21 acres protected.
- Provides public trail with possible connection to Fairfields open space on west side of Rt. 113.
- Protects scenic entry into West Pikeland Township and “Village” commercial district at Rts. 401 and 113.
- Protects wooded steep slopes and stream along Rt. 113.
- Partners Involved: The Carmichael family, the Natural Lands Trust
1343 Street Rd. (between Yellow Springs Rd. and Pikeland Rd.) – 2013
- 27 acres protected.
- Provides public trail access with connection to adjacent protected property (68 acres) and trail system.
- Protects high ranking agricultural resource lands.
- Provides scenic view protection along a section of Street Rd. designated as a priority Scenic Roadway in the Township’s Open Space and Recreation Plan.
- Partners Involved: Dr. Susan Thayer, the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust
1121 Seven Oaks Road (between Bodine Rd. and Rt. 401) – 2013
- 10 acres protected.
- Provides public trail with possible future link to adjacent Ker-Feal estate (owned by the Barnes Foundation).
- Protects scenic views of Ker-Feal estate.
- Protects water quality of active spring and stream feeding Pine Creek.
- Partners Involved: John and Sewall Hornsey, the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust
Art School Road (Near Pikeland Road) – 2012
- 10 acres protected
- Provides a 1,164-foot trail easement that will contribute to a future trail network in the Township.
- Features include seven acres of woodlands and three acres of meadow which will stay in agricultural and/or a variety of low impact uses.
- Partners involved: Historic Yellow Springs Foundation, Natural Lands Trust
Yellow Springs Rd. (near Pine Creek Park) – 2012 (SEE SUCCESS STORY)
- 18.7 acres protected
- Provides ½ mile public trail connection from Pine Creek Park to the Binky Lee Preserve (Woodland Trail)
- Protects water quality of Pickering Creek
- Preserves scenic views along Yellow Springs Rd.
- Adjacent to lands under easement with French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust.
- A special thanks to the PECO Green Region Open Space Program for its $2500 award for trail improvements at this site.
- Partners involved: Mrs. Sklaroff, Chester County, Natural Lands Trust
Route 113 (near Clover Mill Road) -2011
- 11.7 acres protected
- Features 4.5 acres of native mature deciduous woodlands with approximately 3.7 acres of open meadow.
- Located within the scenic route 113 corridor.
- Adjacent to lands under conservation easement and across the road from permanently protected West Pikeland Township lands.
- Includes a 115 foot long trail easement that will contribute to a future trail network in the Township.
- Partners involved: Conti/Davis Family, Natural Lands Trust
Pikeland Road (near Rt. 113) – 2010 (SEE SUCCESS STORY)
- 17.1 acres protected
- Features 10 acres of woodlands, 4.5 acres of prime agricultural soils
- Historic 18th century house with active horse farm
- Protects “High Quality” Pickering Creek
- Provides public access via 30’ wide trail along Pickering Creek to Pickering Grove Park
- Protects scenic views along Pikeland Rd.
- Adjacent to West Pikeland Township-owned open space, a conservation easement held by Brandywine Conservancy, and across from Natural Lands Trust’s Binky Lee Preserve.
- Partners involved: White family, Chester County, Natural Lands Trust
Miller Road (near Art School Road) – 2009
- 24 acres protected
- Features include 14 acres of woodlands as well as environmentally sensitive wetlands, meadow and grasslands
- Critical wildlife habitat
- Protects tributary of Pickering Creek, a PA DEP designated high quality trout stocking stream
- Publicly accessible one-half mile trail for walking, hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, and other non-motorized trail uses
- Scenic views
- Immediately adjacent to property conserved by the French and Pickering Creek Conservation Trust
- Partners involved: Hopkins Estate, Chester County, West Vincent Township, Natural Lands Trust
Clover Mill Rd. (near Oak Hill Rd.) – 2008
- 22 acres protected
- Features 12 acres of mature woodlands, 9 acres prime agricultural soils
- Protects 400’ tributary of “High Quality” Pickering Creek
- Provides community access and connection to Binky Lee Preserve
- Protects scenic views
- Partners involved: Chester County, PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, William Penn Foundation, Mars Foundation, Natural Lands Trust
Conestoga Rd. (near Messner Rd.) – 2006
- 49 acres protected
- Features woodlands and wildlife habitat
- Significant frontage along Conestoga Rd. and Messner Rd. identified as scenic roads in the township
- Protects headwaters of unnamed tributary of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection-designated “High Quality” Pickering Creek.
- Conservation easement held by the Natural Lands Trust
- Partners involved: Geer Family, Natural Lands Trust
Dewees Lane (between Horseshoe Trail and Adelphia Lane) – 2003
- 10 acres protected
- Features class 1 agricultural soils, mature woodlands, wetlands, diverse flora and fauna with 137 species of native plants including 1 designated rare in Chester County
- Protects the water quality of Pine Creek
- Historic house (as part of the lands of original West Pikeland settlers Zacharia Rice and Joseph Jones), nominated to the National Register of Historic Places
- Long scenic views along Dewees La.
- Conservation easement held by West Pikeland Land Trust
Art School Rd. (near Miller Rd.) – 2002
- 8.6 acres protected
- Rare native plant species documented on-site, extensive woodlands and wetlands, important wildlife habitat
- Historic home built in 1740
- Protects water quality of Pine Creek
- Conservation Easement held by West Pikeland Land Trust
Dewees La. (near Horseshoe Trail) – 2001
- 30 acres protected
- Features croplands, meadows, 4 acres of forested land
- Scenic, historic, and open space values
- Conservation Easement held by West Pikeland Township
Clover Mill Rd. (near Street Rd.) – 1999
- 29 acres protected
- Features pasture, woodlands, streams, wetlands, woodland and aquatic habitats, riparian forest buffers
- Located in the Middle Pickering Rural Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- House is part vintage stone, stone and frame barn
- High public visibility and protects scenic views
- Conservation easement held by West Pikeland Township
Lower Pine Creek (near Rt. 401) – 1999
- 12.27 acres protected
- Features farm fields, grasslands, pond, wetlands, historic house and barn
- Adjacent to other protected lands which maximizes open space benefits
- Conservation easement held by French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust.
